HUYE - As the country marked the World Teachers Day yesterday, outstanding teachers in Ngoma received certificates of merit for their dedication to work.

The day’s celebrations held at Huye Stadium attracted hundreds of teachers from schools in the sector, where they were called upon to stand out and uphold the ethics of their noble profession.

Callixite Kayitaba, who spoke on behalf of the teachers during the function, said that the day was  held  in recognition of the important role teachers play in nation building.

He called upon teachers to respect their profession and work with dedication, despite the challenges they  face.
He lashed out at parents who have abdicated their role of bringing up their children and instead thrown the burden to teachers.

"Many parents dread school holidays, they only look forward to the time schools open so that teachers can take up the role of ensuring the discipline of their children,” said Kayitaba.

He called upon districts to allocate a bigger percentage of their budgets to the education sector; which he said does not get enough funding.

Pacifique Gashumba, a district official in charge of education, hailed teachers for their role in nation building. He called upon teachers to take pride in their work and always strive to improve their living conditions.

He noted that government is aware of the plight of teachers and that the introduction of the teacher’s credit and savings scheme – Mwalimu Sacco is one way of addressing the problem of low salaries.

"It is important that you take advantage of the scheme to better your livelihoods,” he noted.

Gashumba promised further training for teachers especially in the use of English language- following the adoption of the language as a medium of instruction in schools and universities.

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